---
title: cockney — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cockney» in the school dictionary: A person from the East End of London, traditionally someone born within the sound of the Bow Bells church. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cockney

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** accent, Apples, She, Cockneys, Bert · **What happens:** bear, drop, use, rhyme, accent, mean · **To what, where:** h sounds, rhyming slang, East End, He, stairs, h · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«cockney» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [cockney in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cockney.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person from the East End of London, traditionally someone born within the sound of the Bow Bells church.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:m1:1
# text = A person from the East End of London, traditionally someone born within the sound of the Bow Bells church.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	East	East	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	End	End	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	traditionally	traditionally	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	appos	_	_
12	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl	_	_
13	within	within	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
18	Bow	Bow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	Bells	Bell	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	20	compound	_	_
20	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bear** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | within the sound of the Bells church | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The accent and dialect of London's East End, which drops some h sounds and uses «rhyming slang».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:m2:1
# text = The accent and dialect of London's East End, which drops some h sounds and uses «rhyming slang».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	accent	accent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	dialect	dialect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	East	East	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	End	End	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	drops	drop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	15	det	_	_
14	h	H	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	rhyming	rhyme	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	20	amod	_	_
20	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | present | the accent of London's East End and dialect | some h sounds |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | present | the accent of London's East End and dialect *not said here* | rhyming slang |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slang=Patient |
| 3 | **rhyme** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **accent** |  |  | London's East End |  |  |  |  | nom accent «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was born in the East End, a true Cockney.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x1:1
# text = He was born in the East End, a true Cockney.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	East	East	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	End	End	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	Cockney	cockney	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bear** | past · passive |  | He |  |  | in the East End |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Apples and pears» means stairs in Cockney rhyming slang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x2:1
# text = «Apples and pears» means stairs in Cockney rhyming slang.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Apples	apple	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	pears	pear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	stairs	stair	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	Cockney	Cockney	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
10	rhyming	rhyme	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	amod	_	_
11	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Apples and pears | stairs |  |  |  | in Cockney rhyming slang | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot stair=Theme in slang=Attribute |
| 2 | **rhyme** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She speaks with a Cockney accent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x3:1
# text = She speaks with a Cockney accent.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	Cockney	cockney	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	accent	accent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | She |  |  |  |  | with a Cockney accent | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with accent=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cockneys often drop the h: «'ello».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x4:1
# text = Cockneys often drop the h: «'ello».
1	Cockneys	cockney	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	often	often	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	drop	drop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	h	H	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	ello	ello	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | present | Cockneys | the h |  |  |  | ello *obl*; often *property* | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent h=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Use your loaf» is Cockney for «use your head».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x5:1
# text = «Use your loaf» is Cockney for «use your head».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	csubj	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	loaf	loaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	Cockney	cockney	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
11	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | your loaf |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent loaf=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | cockney *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **use** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | your head |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent head=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bert in «Mary Poppins» has a Cockney accent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockney:x6:1
# text = Bert in «Mary Poppins» has a Cockney accent.
1	Bert	Bert	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Mary	Mary	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	Poppins	Poppins	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	Cockney	cockney	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	accent	accent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Bert in Mary | a Cockney accent |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent accent=Patient |

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**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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